CHIKARA (professional wrestling)

Pwcompanybox
name=CHIKARA


acronym=
established=2002
style=Lucha Libre
Puroresu
location=Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
founder=Mike Quackenbush
Reckless Youth
owner=Mike Quackenbush
parent=
sister=
formerly=
merged=

CHIKARA (sometimes referred to as CHIKARA Pro) is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Their major events each year include, King Of Trios in February, Aniversario in May, Young Lions Cup in June & Torneo Cibernetico in August.

The company takes both the name and logo from the Japanese kanji meaning strength.

History

CHIKARA Wrestle Factory was founded as a wrestling school in Allentown, Pennsylvania by Mike Quackenbush and "Reckless Youth" Tom Carter. After five months, the school started CHIKARA.

In 2004, Chris Hero became a co-trainer at CHIKARA Wrestle Factory. In 2005, Jorge "Skayde" Rivera joined as the third trainer. In March 2005, the school moved from Allentown to the New Alhambra Arena, in Philadelphia. They then took over the training for Combat Zone Wrestling, leading to the school's new name of CZW/CHIKARA Wrestle Factory. The schools split in 2007. The training center is once again simply known as CHIKARA Wrestle Factory. In 2007, Claudio Castagnoli took over Chris Hero's training duties. [ [http://www.hpwf.org/~chikara/WrestleFactory/Home/history.html CHIKARA/CZW Wrestle Factory] ]

The company's catalog of events (on both VHS & DVD) are available through Smart Mark Video. [ [http://smartmarkvideo.com/home.php?cat=10 CHIKARA DVD] ]

CHIKARA drew their biggest crowd ever of over 550 at the New Alhambra Arena in Philadelphia to see the finals of the King Of Trios event on March 2, 2008.

CHIKARA also makes Internet Pay-Per-Views by the name of Pod-Per-View. CHIKARA also have a weekly Internet show by the name of Podcast-A-Go-Go which contains CHIKARA matches and interviews.

Current Champions

Roster

*Amasis
*Bobby Dempsey
*Brodie Lee
*Buck Hawke
*Cheech
*Chuck Taylor
*Claudio Castagnoli
*Cloudy
*Colin Delaney
*Crossbones
*Daizee Haze
*Delirious
*Eddie Kingston
*El Hijo del Ice Cream
*Fire Ant
*Gran Akuma
*Hallowicked
*Helios
*Hydra
*Icarus
*Ice Cream Jr.
*Incognito
*Jigsaw
*Jimmy Olsen
*Larry Sweeney
*Lince Dorado
*Mike Quackenbush
*Mitch Ryder
*Ophidian
*Player Uno
*Player Dos
*Robbie Ellis
*Sara Del Rey
*Soldier Ant
*STIGMA (Formerly known as Shane Storm)
*Tim Donst
*Ultimo Breakfast
*UltraMantis Black
*Vin Gerard
*Worker Ant

tables & Tag Teams

*The Colony (Fire Ant, Soldier Ant & Worker Ant)
*F.I.S.T. (Gran Akuma, Icarus & Chuck Taylor)
*The Fabulous Two (Mitch Ryder & Buck Hawke)
*Los Ice Creams (El Hijo del Ice Cream & Ice Cream Jr.)
*Incoherence (Delirious & Hallowicked)
*The Order Of The Neo Solar Temple (UltraMantis Black & Crossbones)
*The Osirian Portal (Amasis & Ophidian)
*Up In Smoke (Cheech & Cloudy)
*The Sea Donsters (Hydra & Tim Donst)
*The Super Smash Brothers (Player Uno & Player Dos)
*The UnStable (Vin Gerard, STIGMA & Colin Delaney)

Referees

*Bryce Remsburg – Senior Referee
*Derek Sabato
*Nick Papagiorgio

Administration and Other Staff

*Bob Saget – Commissioner (2006-2008)
*David Coulier – Commissioner (2008-present)
*Leonard F. Chikarason – Director Of Fun
*Carolina Jim – Ring Announcer (???-???)
*Ed O'Mac – Ring Announcer (2006-2007)
*Nick Papagiorgio – Ring Announcer (2007-present)
*Louden Noxious – Ring Announcer (2008-present)
*Crazy Frank – Czar Of Security
*Wiggly – Co-Host of the Podcast-A-Go-Go
*Chiz – Co-Host of the Podcast-A-Go-Go

Alumni

*Alex Shelley
*Allison Danger
*Andy Sumner
*Ares
*Arik Cannon
*Billy Roc
*Blind Rage
*Bull Pain
*Chris Bosh
*Chris Hero
*Chris Sabin
*CM Punk
*CP Munk
*Colt Cabana
*Darin Corbin
*Darkness Crabtree
*DJ Skittlez
*Don Montoya
*Don Paysan
*Dr. Cheung
*Dragonfly
*Dragon Dragon
*Drake Younger
*Drew Gulak
*El Generico
*Glacier
*Jack Marciano
*Jagged
*Jay Briscoe
*Jervis Cottonbelly
*Joey Ryan
*John Brooks
*Jolly Roger
*Joker
*Josh Abercrombie
*Kevin Steen
*La Parka
*La Parkita
*Lance Steel
*Mad Man Pondo
*Mano Metalico
*Mark Briscoe
*Matt Dillon
*Maxime Boyer
*Mickie Knuckles
*Milano Collection AT
*Mister ZERO
*MIYAWAKI
*Necro Butcher
*Niles Young
*Nobutaka Moribe
*Private Eye
*Ravage
*Reckless Youth
*Retail Dragon
*Rorschach
*Ruckus
*Ryan Cruz
*Sabian
*Scott Lost
*ShareCropper
*Shane Matthews
*Skayde
*Sonjay Dutt
*Sumie Sakai
*Tex Benedict
*USApe

Tournament Winners

*Young Lions Cup I - Hallowicked
*Young Lions Cup II - Larry Sweeney
*Young Lions Cup III - Shane Storm
*Young Lions Cup IV - Arik Cannon
*Young Lions Cup V - Chuck Taylor
*Young Lions Cup VI - Fire Ant
*Tag World Grand Prix 2003 - Hallowicked & Blind Rage
*Tag World Grand Prix 2005 - Claudio Castagnoli & Arik Cannon
*Tag World Grand Prix 2006 - Claudio Castagnoli & Chris Hero
*Tag World Grand Prix 2008 - "to be held November 8th and 9th, 2008 in Oberhausen, Germany"
*Torneo Cibernetico 2004 - Jigsaw
*Torneo Cibernetico 2005 - Gran Akuma
*Torneo Cibernetico 2006 - Icarus
*Torneo Cibernetico 2007 - Claudio Castagnoli
*November 2006 Tag Tournament - F.I.S.T (Icarus & Gran Akuma)
*Rey de Voladores 2007 - Chuck Taylor
*Rey de Voladores 2008 - Incognito
*King of Trios 2007 - Mike Quackenbush, Jigsaw & Shane Storm
*King of Trios 2008 - Lince Dorado, El Pantera & Incognito
*La Lotería Letal - "finals to be held October 18, 2008 in Easton, PA (Lince Dorado & Jimmy Olsen vs. Vin Gerard & Colin Delaney)"

Commercial DVD Releases

Big Vision Entertainment Releases

References

Further reading

* [http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0623/p11s01-alsp.html Christian Science Monitor Article On CHIKARA]
* [http://topesuicida.blogspot.com/2007/05/chikara-flashback.html Article On CHIKARA's Debut]
* [http://topesuicida.blogspot.com/2007/05/2.html Article On CHIKARA's 5th Anniversary]
* [http://members.aol.com/tapouttazz/chikaratrivia.html CHIKARA Trivia]

External links

* [http://www.chikarapro.com/ Official Website]
* [http://wigglysworld.com/chikara/Site/chikara.html CHIKARA Podcast-A-Go-Go]
* [http://chikarafans.com CHIKARAFans (Fan Site)]
* [http://chikarafans.com/forum UnOfficial Message Board]
* [http://thecoolkidstable.net/archives/category/columns/jason-sterlacci/chikolumn CHIKARA Coverage by Jason Sterlacci]